


Think of the Children

by secretagentofsin



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Angst, Canon Divergence - Dipper and Mabel vs. the Future, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ford does too but he doesn't understand emotions, Hurt, I suck at tagging, I'm Bad At Titles, POOR EVERYONE DAMN, Pines Family Angst - Freeform, Pines Family Bonding, Poor Dipper too, Poor Mabel, Stan just wants his niblings to be happy, This is a rewrite of another story I wrote, and I have much more now, misleading title
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-15
Updated: 2017-04-15
Packaged: 2018-10-19 08:53:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10636518
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/secretagentofsin/pseuds/secretagentofsin
Summary: "Um, I heard... I-I heard Dipper over the radio." Mabel hiccuped, and stared at her hands clenched in her lap. More tears welled up in her eyes, and it felt like there was a rock in her throat. She didn't want to think about it anymore, but then Grunkle Stan gently tilted her head back up so he could look her in the face. He looked so calm and serious, and it reassured Mabel that her great-uncle knew what he was doing. He would be able to fix things, she just knew it.





	1. Always Together

**Author's Note:**

> This is a rewrite of my fanfic "We Need Each Other...Right?" Apology in advance for any OOCness and mistakes.

          Mabel's hands shook, and her chest constricted as she tried to think. This couldn't be happening, there was just no way. It was supposed to be her and Dipper, together against the unknown. They were the Mystery  _ Twins _ , plural, not Mystery  _ Twin _ . That just didn't make any sense. The static of the walkie talkie broke through her thoughts, and tears welled in her eyes as the rest of her began to tremble.

          "No..." She whimpered, and wrung her sweater in her hands. Dipper couldn't leave her behind. He wouldn't, right? He wouldn't choose Gravity Falls over her. He wouldn't choose the supernatural over her! He wouldn't choose Great-Uncle Ford over...

          But he did. That's exactly what he did, at least to her, when she heard him accept Ford's apprenticeship. Mabel knew she was being selfish, she really did, but she didn't want her and Dipper to end up like Grunkle Stan and Great-Uncle Ford. Because if that did happen, she knew she would be like Stan. Sad, lonely, and wishing for what used to be. And Dipper would be Ford, and he'd treat her like an old acquaintance rather than his twin. At best. 

          This couldn't happen.

          It just  _ couldn't _ !

          "No! N-no, no, he has to come back with me!" She cried, hot tears streaming down flushed cheeks. Her breath burst out of her in a sob, and it felt like she couldn't breathe. She could hear Grunkle Stan calling from downstairs, but it was muffled by the ringing in her ears. Mabel scooted off of the edge of her bed, but when she tried to stand her legs felt like jelly. After about two steps she crumpled to the floor, and she couldn't be bothered to try and cry quietly anymore.

 

 

          Dressed in his usual suit, Stan was digging around the living room for his missing shoes. "Where in the... I know I left 'em by the door earlier. Stupid pig must'a ran off with 'em, or somethin'." With an annoyed huff he stopped just in front of the TV with his hands on his hips, and tapped his foot thoughtfully. Where could his shoes possibly be? He'd already searched behind his chair,  _ in _ his chair, behind the TV, all over the kitchen, near the doorway, and everywhere else. "I swear, if my shoes have started to just,  _ vanish _ outta nowhere, I'm gonna-" Stan's rant was interrupted by a muffled cry, and he could just barely make out a few words. His eyebrows furrowed in worry, and he stepped towards the staircase that led upstairs. 

          "Uh, Mabel? Pumpkin?" He called, but he heard nothing for another few moments. Then came a thump that sounded like someone hitting the floor, and Stan was headed upstairs. "Kid, are you alright?" The end of his question was drowned out by a heartfelt wail, and he picked up the pace. The closer he got to the attic, the louder the cries got until they were almost deafening. His stomach twisted at the pain in his niece's sobs, and Stan cautiously opened the door. He loved Mabel dearly and would do just about anything for his family, but he wasn't the smoothest when it came to comforting someone in distress. Family or not. 

          "Hey, hey, it's okay." Stan said softly as he carefully approached his distraught niece. She was sat on the floor with her knees pulled up and hands pressed over her face. In between the sobbing, sniffling, and even coughing Stan could make out what sounded like "Dipper", "no", and "alone". He couldn't figure out what exactly was wrong from just that, but he knew it had to do with Dipper now. Stan's stomach twisted even more at the thought that his great niece and nephew might end up like him and Ford, and wasn't that just a kick to the heart?

          Before his mind could drift down  _ that _ dark path, Stan focused on the situation at hand. First things first, he needed to get Mabel to calm down so she could talk. With that in mind, Stan knelt down beside his niece and laid his hand on her back. He made sure to do it slowly so she wouldn't freak out, but all Mabel did was tilt towards him. It made his heart ache. 

          Throwing caution to the wind, Stan rose into a crouch with little more than a wince. He gently pulled Mabel to her feet, and her hands fell away from her face. Her face was beet red, and covered in tears. Her chin trembled, and she let out another wail.

          " _ Grunkle Stan _ !" Her arms wrapped around his neck with little persuasion, and she buried her face in his shoulder. Stan gently brushed her hair back before wrapping his arms around his niece and standing. He grunted and could've sworn his knees and back creaked, but Mabel needed him. So he carried her back down the hall, down the stairs, and into the living room. All the while softly patting her back and telling her, "Take deep breaths, kiddo. Focus on me." They reached Stan's chair, and he carefully sat her in it. Mabel refused to let go at first, and kept her face stubbornly mushed against Stan's shoulder.

          "Mabel, sweetie, I need you to sit back so I can see you." Stan said quietly, and she slowly leaned back. Her red face was scrunched up, and she looked so devastated that Stan felt like  _ he  _ might start crying. "Okay, that's good. Now, tell me what's wrong." Uncle and niece sat in silence as Mabel mulled over her worries, but it wasn't a problem. Stan could be patient.

 

 

          "Um, I heard... I-I heard Dipper over the radio." Mabel hiccuped, and stared at her hands clenched in her lap. More tears welled up in her eyes, and it felt like there was a rock in her throat. She didn't want to think about it anymore, but then Grunkle Stan gently tilted her head back up so he could look her in the face. He looked so calm and serious, and it reassured Mabel that her great-uncle knew what he was doing. He would be able to fix things, she just knew it. Mabel took a shaky deep breath, and let her Grunkle's presence ground her.

          "I heard Dipper and... And Great-Uncle Ford talking about, um, Dipper..." Her words started to shake, and she glanced away from Grunkle Stan again.

          "What did they say, Mabel?" He asked, and she instantly looked back at him. She didn't know why exactly, but she knew she could trust him with this. He could handle this.

          "G-Great-Uncle Ford asked Dipper if..." Mabel paused as tears started trailing down her cheeks and dripping off of her chin. She yanked her sleeves over her hands, and furiously scrubbed at her face. As she continued, she left her hands partially over her face, but not enough to silence her. "He asked if Dipper wanted to stay in Gravity Falls. As... As an apprentice, or... Or something." Her breath hitched, and Mabel couldn't choke back her sobs anymore. "He said yes!" She wailed, and her legs curled instinctively towards her chest. She felt arms wrap around her before she was gently moved to one side of the chair. The cushion dipped as she felt Grunkle Stan sink down beside her, and the chair was just big enough that she was only tucked under his arm and not totally squashed. Mabel scooted around so her legs were thrown over her great-uncle's, and she could lean her head against his chest. Even through the fabric of Stan's suit, she could faintly hear his heartbeat. Just like in the stories, it was strangely comforting. It was easy to focus on, and it was a sure sign that she wasn't as alone as she felt. 

          "Sweetie, I think I know what else you're thinking. You don't want you and Dipper to end up like me and Ford, right?" Grunkle Stan asked, and with the way Mabel was sitting his voice sounded like rumbling thunder. He'd hit the nail right on the head.

          "Yeah." She said quietly, and coughed. "I don't want Dipper to be distant. I don't... I don't want to loose my bestest best friend." Her voice grew ever softer as she spoke, and Mabel wondered if her great-uncle could even hear her at this point. The chest under her ear rose and fell with a sigh, and Mabel struggled to keep her eyes open. Emotions were exhausting. 

          "Honey, I think it would be impossible for you and Dipper to end up like me and Ford. One of the most obvious reasons? You're not us." Mabel lifted her head to protest that she was like Stan, and she took pride in that. But he kept talking. "You may be  _ like _ us, both of us, but you aren't  _ us _ . You and your brother take traits from both of us, okay? Your brother and I are more, uh, protective. We're more likely or somethin' to do stupid sh-  _ stuff  _ for our siblings. You and Ford, I think, are the dreamers. You've both got the wildest imaginations." Mabel peeked up at her great-uncle, a small smile on her face. He saw her glance his way, and he shot her a crooked grin. "See," he continued. "We can't be fit into these little boxes. We've all got bits an' pieces of each other, and it works for us. Most of the time." That got him a tired giggle.

          "...Thank you, Grunkle Stan. I needed that." Mabel sniffled, and she felt lighter. Less like she might fall apart at the slightest touch. Her throat and chest didn't feel like they were stuffed full of sharp rocks anymore, and her limbs weren't as shaky. She felt almost okay, and now she knew her Grunkle would always have her back. 

          Then there was a muffled slam as the gift shop door was thrown open. 

          "Mabel? Grunkle Stan? We're back!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm just about to finish up the second chapter, and there will probably be three, maybe even four. Things are going in totally different directions than I originally planned, but that's what happens. I was suddenly hit with writing inspiration, so... Yeah! If there's anything you think I need to improve or fix, just comment it! Thanks.


	2. Emotional Obliviousness

          Stan heard the gift shop door open and slam shut, and he felt like his heart was in his throat. Oh  _ shit.  _ He hadn’t had time to come up with a solid plan on how to resolve whatever the hell was happening, so now he had to rush in blind.

          "Mabel? Grunkle Stan? We're back!" Footsteps moved closer towards the door separating the gift shop from the living room, and Stan was frozen in panic for little more than a second. Then his mind caught up, and he jumped to his feet with Mabel in his arms. He glanced down at her to ask her what she wanted to do, but stopped, mouth still open.

          Mabel’s eyes were blown wide, and tears were already beginning to well again. She was hardly getting any air with how fast and shallow her breaths were, and the shakes were returning.

          “Motherf-ah,” Stan caught himself before he cursed, and turned to gently sit Mabel back on his chair. “Just sit tight, pumpkin.” He whispered, and yanked off his suit jacket to drape it over here. It wasn’t much, but it would give her something to hide behind. And as Stan hurried towards the door to the gift shop, he snuck a look over his shoulder. Sure enough, Mabel had the jacket wrapped around her and over his head to hide her face. He couldn’t stand to see his niece so hurt, and he sorely wanted to promise that everything would be okay.

          But it might not.

          Stan would stop at nothing to keep his kids happy, but he wasn’t very confident in his abilities. And with the way the universe liked to kick him down over and over and over again… Things looked grim. Despite all that, there was no way he was going to just let this happen. So with that in mind, Stan set his shoulders back and stepped out into the gift shop.

          Ford was already punching in the code to open the door behind the vending machine, and his nephew paused mid-sentence when he saw Stan come out to meet them. They both looked terrible.

          Covered in dirt and twigs, Ford and Dipper looked like they'd gone a few rounds with a tree. Both were covered in a ridiculous amount of bruises of varying sizes and shades, and there was even some blood. There was a little dried in Dipper's hair, and under Ford's nose was a smear of it as if he'd had a nosebleed. Then there was the painful looking gash on Ford’s right thigh, and Stan noticed Dipper cradling his heavily bruised left wrist. 

          "What. Happened?" Stan asked through gritted teeth, and had to use every last ounce of his willpower to keep from clocking Ford right in the jaw. He couldn't be totally sure it was his fault, but something in Stan's gut told him it was. At least for the most part.

          "Well, uh...Aliens?" Dipper said hesitantly as he smiled nervously. Normally, Stan would want to bop him on the head with a newspaper, but the kid just looked so shaken that Stan would feel bad if even poked him. Damn, he was going soft. 

          "Aliens," he sighed. "Why not? There’s literally  _ everything else _ in this town, so why not aliens?” He threw his hands up and jerked around to glare at Ford. “I’ve gotta  _ lot _ to say to  _ you _ , but I’m tryin’ to be calm about this. So, both of you, get your butts in the kitchen.” With that Stan stepped back into the living room, and Mabel, still curled up in his chair, peeked out at him from under the jacket. 

          “Grunkle Stan?” She whispered, he voice hoarse. Her chin was wobbling, and Stan could tell she was trying her hardest not to cry.

          “Hey kiddo. Why don’t you head up to your room until I come get you? I gotta patch up the nerds.” He said softly, and reached out to gently pat her head. Mabel simply nodded, and dashed for the stairs. Just as she reached the bottom of them, Ford stepped through the door with Dipper close behind. A sob escaped her, drawing everyone’s attention, and it felt like time itself stopped.

          Dipper and Ford were staring at Mabel, shocked by the miserable state she was in, and Mabel stared right back. Stan could see so many emotions flash across her face. Shock, concern, sadness, and even anger.

          Then Dipper took a step towards her, one hand reached out, and a concerned look on his face. “Mabel?” He asked quietly, and Stan’s focus snapped to her.

          She jerked back hard enough to almost fall flat on her rear before taking off up the stairs without a word to her brother. Dipper made to run after her, but Stan stopped him with a hand on his shoulder. 

          “Kid, she needs some space right now. And we’ll talk,  _ all _ of us, but like I said. First, I gotta patch you up.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter isn't as long as I wanted it to be, but I do my best writing when I'm at school. Weirdly enough. So I'm hoping to write more once Monday rolls around. Still, I wanted to post something. 
> 
> I did have something much longer, but I took out about half of what I had because it just didn't seem... right, I guess?


End file.
